The Steelers are reportedly interested in Russell Wilson, what does this mean for the Bears?
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The Chicago Bears are currently in the midst of a potentially franchise-altering decision at quarterback.
One of the decisions would come with a larger return, which is trading the No. 1 overall pick and keeping Justin Fields.
However, if the franchise opts to move on at quarterback a recent development may have taken a trade partner off the board.
According to Gerry Dulac at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, soon-to-be free agent quarterback Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet before the start of free agency.
Dulac reports that Wilson has interest in quarterbacking the Steelers.
This would take a trade partner off the board for the Bears.
At the start of the NFL Combine, USA Today's Tyler Dragon reported the Steelers, Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders were interested in Fields. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also reported the Falcons, Steelers and Raiders were interested, but also added the Minnesota Vikings to the mix.
The Atlanta Falcons are already rumored to be in on Vikings' free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins signing in Atlanta would take the Falcons off the Bears' trade board.
Should the Steelers add Wilson, that would most likely take Pittsburgh out of the mix, too.
That would leave the Vikings and Raiders, who could forgo a trade by drafting a quarterback.
Where would that leave the Bears? Following the tea leaves, it would leave them in a waiting game.
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles said he wants to do right by Fields should the franchise decide to trade him. Fields, on the St. Brown Brothers podcast in February, also expressed his desire for this situation to be over.
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Since then, there have been more quarterbacks added to the free agent pool while other quarterbacks like Michigan's JJ McCarthy have upped their draft stock.
These would be additions where teams wouldn't have to surrender draft stock to the Bears for Fields, and can add a quarterback on their own terms. One of the biggest factors is Fields' fifth-year option, which would cost an estimated $23.3 million in 2025.
Other options don't have that immediate option.
If the Bears move on from Fields this offseason, which is what the majority expect to happen, they might not fit the timeline they set for themselves in trading Fields.
Time will tell as free agency creeps closer and closer.
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